Fears over giant patient records database

GP leaders say there is a crisis of confidence about a new NHS data-sharing scheme involving medical records.

From April, a giant database, Care.data, will be rolled out in England with non-identifiable records to help aid medical research and the monitoring of performance.

But the Royal College of GPs accused NHS England of failing to make the case for the project.

NHS England has said concerns about privacy are misplaced.

The warning comes after patient watchdog Healthwatch England said last week that the scheme should be delayed, as patients had been left "in the dark".

The central database will enable experts to assess diseases, examine new drugs on the market and identify infection outbreaks, as well as monitor the care patients get.

Information is already available about what happens in hospitals, but it has been difficult to link those records with information on what happens to patients when they are under the care of GPs.

However, concerns have been raised about the prospect of keeping all the information in one place, with campaigners saying that it could lead to privacy problems and data breaches.

There is a proposal - to be discussed next month - that could give access to non-NHS bodies, including private firms.

NHS England has started a mass mailout to every household explaining the project and giving people the chance to opt out.